Piano-player mechanism.



W. T. WAITE. PIANO PLAYER MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26,1911.

Patented June 4, 1912.

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,jj-wwzap z'wate li esaver W. T WAITE. PIANO PLAYER MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26,1911. 1,028,163. Patented June 4,1912.

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W 111/ mum Ill , 29 lllllllll 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM TffWAITE, OF KANSAS CITY, MIS 'OUBI, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 S. M.

HENLEY, OF KANSA CITY, MISSOURI.

PIANO-PLAYER .MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. VVAITE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of hilissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Player 'Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

the size of the openings in the note-sheet.

More specifically, my object is to produce means whereby the small volume of air supplied through the note sheet opening and tracker bar is made effective on the diaphragm, before it can escape into the vacuum chest.

Another object is to produce means for preventing the vent or bleed openings becoming clogged with lint and dust.

Another object is to provide adjustable means to effect a quicker or slower response of the primary valves to the raising of the diaphragms.

A still further object is to produce mechanism of this character which can be manufactured 'and assembled cheaply and which -is of simple, strong,'and durable construction.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order thatit may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a plan view of a part of the vacuum chest of a p ano player mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical section on the line IIII of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a section on the line TIL-Ill of Fig. 2. Fig.4, is a top plan view of the vacuum chest-with upper member thereof omitted. Fig. 5, is an enlarged section on the line V-V of Fig. 1.

lithe said drawings, 1, indicates the bottom bar of the vacuum chest provided with staggered chambers 2, bridged by suitable flexible diaph-ragms 3, ordinarily known as the primary diaphragms, and said dia phragnis are providedwith the customary stiffening disks 1, of smaller diameter than Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed June 26, 1911. Serial No. 635,321.

Patented-June 4, 1912.

chamber 2, and with wear plates 5, secured upon said disks. The bar is provided centrally of each chamber 2, with an upwardly projecting annular wall 6, upon which the overlying diaphragm normally rests so as to divide said chamber into two normally noncommunicating compartments, one within and the other outward of said wall. Each diaphragm is also provided with a bleed or vent opening 7 part of which preferably extends through the overlying disk at, and said opening is normally closed by the upwardlytapering end of a pin 8, which serves to con-- trol the passage of air through and prevent the opening being clogged by dust or lint. The bar is also provided with a passage 9 communicating with the compartment of each chamber 2, exterior to the wall 6, and for convenience of connection with the tracker bar, not shown, a strip 10 is secured to the inner edge of bar 1, and is provided with passages 11 in con'iinunication with passages 9, short tubes 12 being secured in passages 11 for the attachment of flexible tubes 13 leading from said tracker bar in the customary or any preferred manner, and

the bar 1, is also provided with an opening 14, in communication with the customary vacuum-producing mechanism, not shown.

15 is a bar provided at its lower side with a sheepskin or equivalent facing 16, and at its upper side with a similar facing 17, and at a suitablepoint with an opening 18, in communication with the vacuum opening 11, of bar 1. Bar 15 is also provided in alinement with each chamber 2, with a vacuum chamber 19, which extends through the said facings, and to establish communication between the opening 18'and the chambers 19, channels 20 are provided.

21 indicatesthe top bar of the vacuum chest, fitting upon bar 15 andbridging the opening, channels and chamber thereof, bolts 22 or equivalent devices, being employed to clamp the bars, 1, 15 and 21 rigidly together.

In alineinent with each chainber19, bar 21 is provided with a chamber 23 connected by a passage with the underlying chainber 19, and extending slidingly through each passage 2% without completely filling the same is the stem 25 of a valve, provided at its lower end with a head 26 and at its upper end with a head 27., the former having a compressible facing 28, so that when '7 the valve is raised said head shall eflectually close communication between the passage 24.- and chamber 191 .The head'27 is rovided at its'lower side with a compressilefacing 29, which normally engages the upper side of bar 21, and closes .eommunication between the external'atmosphere and the overlying chamber 23, andextending through-each valve is a screw 30, -Which under ordinary conditions, is preferably adjusted so as to rest lightly upon the wear piece 5, oft-he underlyln diaphragm.

The bar 21, is provlde with passages 31 leading from chambers 23, and communicating with passages 31 are short tubes 32 whichpr'oject from the bar for the convenient attachment of flexible tubes 33, leading to the diaphragms (not shown) ordinarily known as the secondary diaphragms or pneumatics, which effect the. operation of the hammers,not shown.

. Assuming that the parts are in the position shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 5, it

'will be apparent that registration of an opening in the note-sheet with an opening in the tracker bar, will result in air passing into the latter, through theconnected tube 13, tube 14, passage 11 and passage 9, and

into the connected""chamber 2 to raise the reason the full volume of air admitted to which chamber 2 through the' note-sheet and tracker bar is made effective in .raising'the diaphragm before any. of itcan escape through, the vent opening and that for this reason the diaphragm is extremely sensitive. It is apparent that if the'lower end of the set screw of the overlying valve is in contact with the raised diaphragm such valve will likewise start upward before the vent opening is exposed. Under ordinary .conditio-ns it is preferable. to slightly space the set'screws from the diaphragms as with such parts in contact, a pin prick in the paper may result in the production of a false note, whereas if the diaphragm is slightly raised before it engages the set screws, the small volume of air admitted through such pin prick will escape through the-vent ope'ning without affecting the valve.

The raising of-the valve enables exterior air to enter chamber 23 at its upper end,

air' passes from such through passage 31, tubes 32 and 33, to the secondary diaphragm or pneumatic whereby the hammer 1s caused to strike the key or string of the piano and produce the desired sound. The complete raising of the diaphragm also results in causing the lower 'ation of the hammer.

chamber head of the i alve to close communicationbetween the vacuum chamber and chamber 23 by way of the connecting passage 24, and at this. time the bleed or vent opening is completely opened so that the closure of the tracker bar opening by' the note sheet, permits the. air below the diaphragm to be evacuated through the vacuum chamber, leaving the diaphragm in equilibrium, At

'the same time atmospheric pressure de- "until the blow is in progress, as distinguished from analogous mechanism in which the venting of the air begins the instant it isadmitted. by the tracker bar. By

my arrangement an opening pricked by a pin in the note sheet, will admit suflicient air to effect the proper operation of the mechanism, because, as. hereinbefore explained, all of such air is utilized in opening the valveand none of it is vented into the vacuum chamber until the valve has been raised sufficiently to admit the necessary air into chamber 23 to effect the oper- "With the types of mechanism in common use, a comparatively large note-sheet opening is-necessary in order to admit sufficient air to not only raise the diaphragm but also provide for the waste which begins with the admission ofv air, through the vent or bleedv opening.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have roduced. a piano player mechanism embo ying the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and I wish it 'to be understood that whileI have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construction shown and described as obviousmodifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a piano player mechanism, a vacuum' chest provided with a plurality of vacuum chambers, a corresponding number of chambers opposite the vacuum chambers, provided with walls and a tracker duct or passage for and in communication with each of said last-named chambers, movable diaphragms forming partitions between the said vacuum chambers and said opposite chambers and normally engaging the walls of and subdividing the said opposite chambers into two compartments; each dia' phragm having a vefif or bleed opening to establish communication between a vacuum chamber and a compartment of one of the said opposlte chambers, and means closmg said vent oinbleed openmgs when the diaphragms'are in normal position and uncovering said openings when the diaphragms are in operative position.

Z. In a piano player mechanism, a vacuum chest provided with a plurality of vacuum chambers, a corresponding number of chambers opposite the vacuum chambers, provided with walls and a tracker duct or passage for and in communication with each of said last-named "chambers, movable diaphragms forming partitions bet-ween the said vacuum chambers and the said opposite chambers and normally engaging the walls of and subdividing the said opposite chambers into two compartments, each diaphragm having a vent or bleed opening to establish communication between. a vacuum chamber and a compartment of one of the said opposite chambers, and pins closing the vent or bleed openings when the diaphragms are in normal position and uncovering said openings when the diaphragms are in operative position.

3. In a piano player mechanism, a vacuum chestprovided with a plurality of vacuum chambers, a corresponding number of chambers opposite the vacuum chambers, provided with walls and a tracker duct or passage tor andin communication with each of said last-named chambers, movable diaphragms forming partitions between the said vacuum chambers and the said opposite chambers and normally engaging the walls of and subdividing the said opposite chambers into two compartments, each dia phragm having a vent or bleed opening to establish communication chamber and a compartment of one of the said opposite chambers, and a pin fitting in the vent or bleed opening of each diaphragm when the same is in normal position and withdrawn from said opening when the dia' phragm is in operative position.

4. In a piano player mechanism, avacuum chest provided with -a plurality of vacuum chambers, a corresponding number of chambers opposite the vacuum chambers, provided with walls and a tracker duct or passage for and in communication with each of said last-named chambers, movable diaphragms forming partitions between the said vacuum chambers and the said opposite chambers and normally engaging the walls of and subdividing the said opposite chainnormal position and withdrawn from said partmcnts or bleed opening to establish comn'iumcation between each vacuum chamber and a compassages between a vacuumv from the underlying chambers,

opening when the said diaphragm is in operative position.

5. in a piano player mechanism, vacuum chest provided with a pin. ity of vacuum chambers, a corresponding number of chambers above and a similar number of chambers below the vacuum chambers, a tracker duct or passage for and in communis cation with each of said last-named chambers, passages connecting the vacuum chainbers with the overlyingchambers, a diaphragm dividing the vacuum chambers from the underlying chambers,

of the last-named chambers into two comeach diaphragm having a vent partment of one of the subdivided cham bers, meansiclosing the vent or bleed openings when the diaphragms are depressed and uncovering said openings when the diaphragms are raised, passages connecting the vacuum chambers and the overlying chambers, a series of valves corresponding in number to and adapted to be raised by the diaphragms, and consisting of stems extending from the vacuum chambers through said heads within the vacuum chambers and heads at the opposite ends of the stems nor mally closing communication between the atmosphere and the said overlying Chillllc bers, the vacuum chest also having passages connected with the said overlying chambers to receive air from the latter when the valve is raised to close communication between the said chambers and the vacuum chambers and open communication between the said overlying chambers and the atmosphere.

6. Ina piano player mechanism, a vacuum chest provided with a plurality oi vacuum chambers, a ccrrcspondiaig number of chambers above and a similar numb-er of chambers below the vacuum chambers, a tracker duct or passage for and in communication with each of said last-named cham bers, passages connecting the vacuum chambers with the overlying chambers, a diaphragm dividing the vacuum chambers and when depressed engaging the chest to divide each of the last-named chambers into two compartments, each diapl'u'agm having a vent or bleed opening to establish communication between each vacuum chamber and a coinpartment oi: one of the subdivided chambcrs, means closing the vent or bleed openings when the diaplnagms are depressed and uncovering said openings when the diaphragms are raised, passages connecting the vacuum chambers and the overlying chambers, a series of valves corresponding in number to and adapted to be raised by the diaphragm, and consist-mg of stems extendand the said overlying chambers,

and when depressed engaging the chest to divide each- 'ing from the vacuum chambers through said passages and the said overlying chambers, heads within the vacuum chambers and heads at the opposite ends of the stems nor mally-closing communication between the atmosphere and the said overlying members,

.the vacuum chest also having passages 0011- nected with the said overlying chambers to receive air from the latter when the valve is raised to closecommunication between the said chambers and the vacuum chambers and open communication between the said. overlyin chambers and the-atmosphere, de-.

- vices in ependently adjustable for increas- 7. In a piano player mechanism, a" vacuum chest provided with a plurality of vacuumchambers, a corresponding number of chambers above and a similar number of chambers below the vacuum chambers, a tracker duct or passage for and in communication with each of said last-named chambers, passages connecting the vacuum chambers withthe. overlying chambers, a diaphragm dividing the vacuumchambers from the underlying chambers, and when depressed engaging the chest todivide each of the last-named chambers into two com-' partments; each diaphragm having a vent derlying vacuum chambers and theoverlying chambers, a series of valves corresponding in number to and adapted to be raised by the diaphragins and consisting of stems extending from the vacuum chambers through said 4 passages andsaid overlying chambers, heads wlthln the vacuum chambers and heads at theoppositeends of the stems n0rmally closing communication between the atmosphere and the said overlying chambers, the vacuum chest also having passages connected with the said overlying chambers to receive air from the latter when the valve is raised to close communicationbetween the said chambers and the vacuum chambers and open communication between the said overlying chambers and the atmosphere,

and screws extending through the stems of the valves and adapted to rest upon the uniaphragms or be spaced therefrom. y i

In testimony whereol I aflix my signature, inthe presence of two witnesses. WILLIAM T. Vl/AITE. VVitnesses: I

G. Y. TI-roRPE, HELEN RODGERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fi've cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, I). C. I 

